In 2010, the Melbourne via Cape Town five piece went from recording “pretty thoughtlessly” in their lounge-room to finding international success and acclaim.

Their debut album Gold On Gold was picked up by MySpace, allowing for a deal with US underground dance label Plant Music. This resulted in a release that keys and synths man Montgomery Cooper says was part of “no real plan.”

With their release materialising in America leading to their debut tour of the country, Clubfeet’s story of success isn’t your atypical ‘little Aussie band gone big’ scenario.

Usually when a local act is making waves internationally, their name becomes bigger locally through national pride. But this wasn’t the case for Clubfeet, simply because few knew that the band had even originated from Australia to being with.

It wasn’t until the quintet teamed up with friend and video maker Alex Goddard, for the ‘Gold On Gold’ project featuring footage and remixes of music from their debut, that local radio stations started to take notice.

“We thought we better do something here because otherwise it would be weird,” says Cooper of the project, “we didn’t want to put out the record six months later, cause it was a bit old, or to us it felt old.”

The video collaboration served as a long overdue introduction of Clubfeet to the birthplace of their music. But for a band that had few expectations in the first place, there was little complacency after their success in America and adoration from international press such as Pitchfork and SPIN.
“It’s the kind of record where you come home from a big night out and you put it on. The artwork and record itself is about a combination of all those things.”

“We were just lucky that someone anywhere paid us any attention,” admits Cooper.

Similarly, it’s that modesty that was integral to the making of their sophomore album, Heirs & Graces. Taking the same approach they had with Gold On Gold, the band went into recording without any real assumptions of what would happen.

As Cooper explains it, “we just wanted to do what we did last time, cause it seemed to connect with people and we really liked it.”

“We kinda went ‘let’s just write a record that we like and that makes us smile,’ where we’re having a good time making and playing it.”

While the outfit once again took on the production duties, Victor Van Vugt (Nick Cave, PJ Harvey, Gogol Bordello, The Knocks) was on hand to mix Heirs & Graces.

“This record definitely sounds better ‘cause Victor mixed it instead of us and I reckon having played a bunch live meant that this record was probably better produced [also].”

“We like producing and it’s fun to do a lo-fi record and not be too anal retentive about paying for an expensive studio and getting all these other people in who have their own expectations,” says the musician.

Heirs & Graces demonstrates a notable amount of growth for Clubfeet, but songwriting wise. the melancholia of Gold On Gold is still very much present on their latest release.

Although this doesn’t mean the five-piece necessarily aspire to make pop music with a solemn edge.

“I think we set out to write fun songs,” answers Cooper, before conceding, “I guess once you’re over the age of 20, things happen and we’ve all got a bit of melancholia about us, despite the fact that we want to be fun and crazy and all that shit.”

“I think in the end, that melancholia just comes from us as people and as a group. On the one hand it’s kind of irreverent, funny, and piss-taking, but on the other hand it’s quite emotional. There is some resonance there that seems to keep seeping through in our songs. As much as we try and repress it,” laughs the musician.

It’s that same element of disconsolation that can be seen on the band’s album cover, which features a half naked model with her head in her hands.

The artwork, which was banned on Facebook due to an uncovered breast, represents more than just the lyrical gloominess that is sometimes present on the record.

“It’s fun and hedonistic,” says Coopers of the relation between artwork and the themes of Heirs & Graces, “it’s the kind of record where you come home from a big night out and you put it on. The artwork and record itself is about a combination of all those things and just being young I guess.”“Hopefully they (Pitchfork) don’t put up a photo of a horse pissing into its own mouth!”

While the album’s sleeve ended up featuring a model, the band had their minds fixated on what Cooper calls a “super babe of the 80s” during recording.

The final two tracks of the album, ‘Nastassja’ and ‘Kinski’ is the full name of a German actress and model. “I think we just had our minds on a bit of German fixation and because the two songs carry through a thematic similarity,” explains the musician.

Throughout the interview Cooper maintains a down to earth and even humorous tone. Getting a favourable review from Pitchfork may have helped gain the outfit fans across the world but it hasn’t made them arrogant in the process.

“I think Sebastian [Cohen, guitars & vocals], when he found out that we got a review from Pitchfork and that it was a good one, he went ‘I could die a happy man, this is the highlight of my life’.”

Although the keys player remains realistic about Gold On Gold‘s tastemaking approval; “it’s not like getting a great review means you’re suddenly playing stadiums. I’m sure it sends a few more people your way but people discover your music in different ways.”

How the notorious website decides to respond to Clubfeet’s second album is anyone’s guess.

“Hopefully they don’t put up a photo of a horse pissing into its own mouth!” says Cooper, in joking reference to the infamous review of Jet’s Shine On.

Regardless of how their sophomore is received internationally, Clubfeet’s latest indie-pop opus has all the right components to build on from the success of their debut.

Heirs & Graces is out now through Illusive Sounds, read the Tone Deaf review here. Clubfeet being their album tour on February 8th at the Star Bar in Bendigo, full dates and details below.

Clubfeet Australian Tour 2013 Dates

Fri 8 Feb Star Bar, Bendigo, VIC 18+
With Collarbones + special guests
Tickets $12 + BF from 1300 GET TIX or www.moshtix.com.au

Sat 9 Feb Ding Dong, Melbourne, VIC 18+
With Collarbones, Chela + visuals by Ego
Tickets $12 + BF from www.oztix.com.au

Thu 14 Feb Transit Bar, Canberra, ACT 18+
With special guests
Tickets $10 + BF from 1300 GET TIX or www.moshtix.com.au

Sat 16 Feb Oxford Art Factory, Sydney, NSW 18+
With Collarbones, Chela + visuals by Ego
Tickets $10 + BF from 1300 GET TIX or www.moshtix.com.au

Thu 21 Feb Alhambra Lounge, Brisbane, QLD 18+
With Collarbones, Chela + visuals by Ego
Tickets $12 + BF from www.oztix.com.au

Fri 22 Feb Elsewhere, Gold Coast, QLD 18+
With The Belligerents + special guests
Tickets $10 + BF from www.oztix.com.au

Sat 23 Feb Speakeasy @ Villa, Perth, WA 18+
With special guests
Tickets $20 + BF from 1300 GET TIX or www.moshtix.com.au

Wed 27 Feb Rebublic Bar, Hobart, TAS 18+
With special guests
Tickets $12 + BF from 1300 GET TIX or www.moshtix.com.au

Fri 1 Mar Ed Castle, Adelaide, SA 18+
With Collarbones, visuals by Ego + special guests
Tickets $12 + BF from 1300 GET TIX or www.moshtix.com.au

All Tickets on Sale Now!

www.helloclubfeet.com

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